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Bits and Pieces on Another Gray Day

February 19, 2010 By: Patricia

Snow on the Tulips

Yep, it snowed again. The forecast says we’ll get more this weekend. It’s not a lot, not a blizzard or anything like that, but the skies are constantly overcast. I’m spoiled, I guess. Since moving to Northern Colorado in 1998, I’ve grown accustomed to lots of sunshine. This dreariness is affecting my mood and my energy level. Sigh.

Winter Olympics

At least I have the winter Olympics to cheer me up. Nothing like watching skiers and snowboarders take enormous risks, then crash and slide. Seems like most have a pretty good attitude about losing, though. Most of the crying and sobbing has come from the winners.

I admit to being a big fan of ice skating and ice dancing. I stayed up to watch all of the men’s long program last night. What a thrill to see an American pull out the gold for the first time since 1988 when Brian Boitano won. The great events leave a lasting impression.

A Blog Carnival

Kerrie Flanagan at The Writing Bug has posted a blog carnival for Northern Colorado Writers members. Since our membership includes all kinds of writers and businessfolks who work with writers, this is a very diverse carnival. Check it out.

And I’ve linked to a fun post from Scattershot for you. This one made me laugh out loud.

The Prairie Grass Murders

The eHarlequin Online Store is the only place to buy the mass market paperback edition of my first Sylvia and Willie mystery. The second book in the series, The Desert Hedge Murders, is scheduled for release in September.

My friend (and critique group partner) Brian Kaufman has a new release. His launch party will be a zombie event at Reader’s Cove Bookstore in Fort Collins, CO on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 from 6:00 to 8:00. I’ve never been to a zombie event before. Or eaten zombie cookies (promised in the promo announcement).

I’m betting the turnout will be huge. I’m seriously thinking about switching from mystery to gore, just so I can throw a great launch party with trolls and ghouls and…and…yeah, even vampires.

Haeley Vaughn

The Fort Collins Coloradoan had a nice article about the Fort Collins 16-year-old who made it to American Idol‘s top 24. I think she’s going to have strong support from Northern Colorado.

2. Writing blog posts. I’m doing a couple of guest posts, and I’m a contributor to The Blood-Red Pencil. And I’m still posting daily on my own blog, even when I have absolutely nothing to say.

3. Getting ready to apply critique suggestions to the first thirteen chapters of the first draft of my suspense novel.

4. Putting together a handout for the Social Media for Beginners workshop I’m teaching on March 1st at the Northern Colorado Writers Studio.

5. Trying my best to get organized. The rest of this afternoon I’ll be working on my To Do List, brainstorming with myself to come up with new blog post topics, and making a plan to clean up my office space.

Comments

My experiment with watching TV and visiting blogs at the same time was a bit of a failure. Luckily I was watching the DVRed recording of the Olympics so I kept going back to see what I’d missed in the compulsory skates. When you hear the same music over and over, there’s nothing to jerk your attention back to the TV screen.

I am doing just that–visiting blogs and watching the Olympics. Its fun. Thanks for mentioning the NCW blog carnival. I am rooting for Haley on American Idol. I think it is way cool that Fort Collins is being represented.

Today has been the first day that I’ve seen patches of my yard since the big snowstorm back in the middle of January. I completely relate with how it effects your mood. But the good news is that spring is coming! Your book looks wonderful! I clicked on the Harlequin link. I can’t wait to read it. Congratulations!

Meet Patricia

I read, I write, I blog, and sometimes I do the laundry and cook. My 2014 novel, Dead Wrong, was a finalist in the thriller category of the 2015 Colorado Book Awards. Wishing Caswell Dead (Five Star/Cengage, December 20, 2017) is a historical mystery set in 1830s Illinois in the fictitious Village of Sangamon. Read More…